Apparatus for charging pressure containers



D. S. CONE Sept. 17, 1929.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING PRESSURE CONTAINERS Filed Aug. 9, 1927 2Sheets-Sheet gwuntoz David 15' Gm Imiimnnm Gum-M1 D. S. CONE Sept. 17,1929.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING PRESSURE CONTAINERS 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Aug. 9,1927 gwuewtoz David: Gbne Q QM Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE DAVID S. CONE, OF NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TOBEACON DEVICES, INC., 0]? NORTH TONAWANDA, NEW YORK, A.- CORPORATION OFNEW YORK APPARATUS FOR CHARGING PRESSURE CONTAINERS Application filedAugust 9, 1927. Serial No. 211,747.

refilling is to send the containers back to the distributor. Thedisadvantages of this practice are very evident and greatly decrease theutility of such devices. This invention is designed to overcome theseobjections by an apparatus which may be readily set up in any servicestation and which comprises a clamp whereby the container is securelyheld to permit its valve to be opened and maintained in sealedcommunication with the fluid supply line and a valve organization tocontrol the fluid flow in said supply line. The valve organizationincludes both a main control valve and an auxiliary valve by which thegas in the line which extends to the container may be vented into theatmosphere after the container has been charged and the inlet andcontainer valves have been again closed, the purpose of the auxiliaryvalve being to protect the operator from contact with the cold fluidremaining in the line and which otherwise might strike him upon removalof the container from the clamp.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of the valve clampand container in clamped position.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the containerin clamped position. v

Figure 3 is a sectional view of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a sectionalview of the valve organization.

Figure 5 is a side elevation of the valve organization. 4

The working elements of the apparatus consist generally of the clampandv valve organization with which the container valve 1 cooperates whenthe container is being charged. The valve 1 is secured to the containerand includes a reducer 2 and nipple 3. The smaller end of the reducer 2is threaded into the neck of the container and is formed with a chamber4 which is internally threaded at its outer end to receive the nipple 3and communicates with the container at its inner end through a smallaperture 5. The

larger end of the reducer 2 is provided with a shoulder 6 whereby it maybe screwed against a sealing washer interposed between it and thecontainer neck. This larger end of the reducer is internally threaded toreceive a packing gland 7 for compressing the packing 8 between thereducer 2 and nipple 3. The nipple has an axial duct 9 whichcommunicates with a recess 10 at its outer end and a cross part 11 nearits inner end, said cross part opening into chamber 4. The innor end ofthe nipple is formed as a valve head 1 and carries a washer for sealingthe aperture 5 when the valve head 1 is closed. In order to limit therelative outward movement of said nipple upon opening the valve head 1the nipple is provided with an annular shoulder which abuts against astop pin 12 secured to the outer end of gland 7. The nipple is alsoprovided with an annular flange 13 near its outer end which carries apivoted bail 14.

The clamp includes a filling head or block 15 which is secured to anextended supporting base 16 provided at its remote end with a saddle 17upon which the container may rest. The block has a fluid passage 18extending through it, one endof which terminates in a nipple 19forconnecting the same with pipe 20 leading to the control valveorganization. A fitting 21 is secured to the block at the discharge endof the passage 18 c and has a tubular extension 22 which cooperates withrecess 10 to link the passage 18 with the duct 9. The fitting isprovided with the usual sealing washer for cooperation with the end ofthe mpple. When the container is in position to be charged, theextension 22 projects into the recess 10 and the body of the containerrests upon saddle 17. Inorder to clamp it in such position, the bail 14is swung over the block to a horizontal position where the lug 23 0f theclamp screw 24 engages the bow of the bail. The screw 24 is held inposition by a bracket 25 at one end secured to block 15 and by a recess26 in the block which engages the other end of the screw. Movement ofthe screw out of the recess is prevented by a collar 27 fitted on thescrew adjacent the bracket. A suitable knob or wheel 28 is provided forturning the screw to move lug 23 so as to clamp or release thecontainer.

The pipe 20 connects the passage 18 of the clamp to the outlet nipple 29of the valve organization block 30 secured to base 30 said nipplecommunicating with a passage 31 leading to the fluid control valve 32and having a. branch passage 31' leading to the auxiliary valve 33. Thefluid control valve 32 has a chamber 3% provided with two ducts, one ofwhich, as 31, communicates with the passage 31 and the other of which,as 35*, communicates with an inlet passage 35, said inlet passage beingconnected to the supply line 36 through inlet nipple 37. The valve 32includes a suitable stem 38 for opening and closing the valve head 32which carries the usual sealing washer. It is readily apparent that whenthe valve head is open the supply line 36 will be in open communicationwith pipe 20. The auxiliary valve 33 is of the same construction as thecontainer valve 1 and is opened by turning the bail 39 so as to move thevalve nipple away from the duct leading to the branch passage 31. Whenopen it vents the passage 31 to atmosphere.

When the equipment is not in use the fluid control valve 32 andauxiliary valve 33 are closed. In use the container is first secured tothe clamp as before described, and the container, valve is opened byturning the container about its axis and with reference to the nipple 3.The fluid control valve is then opened permitting the liquefied gas toflow from the supply tank (not shown) through pipe 36, valve 32, passage31, pipe 20, clamp block passage 18 and through the open container valveinto the container. As the container is filled, its increasing weight isindicated on a scale (not shown) and its weight when filled beingpredetermined the operator can close the control valve 32 when thecontainer is completely charged. After valve 32 is closed, the containeris turned about its axis with reference to the nipple 3 to close thevalve 1. Thus with the valves 1 and 32 closed, the gas in the passagesbetween such valves is trapped. If the operator were to .unclamp andremove the container, at this time, the trapped fluid would strikehimwith unpleasant efiect due to its low temperature. This is avoided byopening the auxiliary valve which permits such trapped fluid to escapeto atmosphere. The container may then be removed and the auxiliary valvereclosed to put the apparatus in condition to repeat the operation.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus for charging containers having a valve with fluidunder pressure the combination of a body formed with a fluid passage andhaving means for holding the container in sealed communication with saidpassage, a unitary valve organization com prising a valve block providedwith a control valve, an auxiliary valve, an intake passage leading tothe control valve, an outlet passage leading from the control valve anda connection between said outlet passage and said auxiliary valve, apipe connecting the intake passage with a source of supply and a pipeconnecting said outlet passage with the fluid passage of said body.

2. Inan apparatus for charging containers with fluid under pressure, incombination, a supporting element and a self-contained structure at oneendof said supporting element for conducting. gas to the inlet end ofthe container, said structure having a gas passage adapted forcommunication with said inlet end of the container and having releasablemeans for cooperation with the container to hold the same in sealedengagement with the discharge end of said passage, the latter havin anipple for its connection to a remotely Iocated source of gas supply.

3. In an apparatus for charging containers with fluid under pressure, incombination, a supporting element, a self-contained structure at one endof said supporting element for conducting gas to the inlet end of thecontainer, said structure having a gas passage adapted for communicationwith the inlet end of the container and having releasable means forcooperation with the container to hold the same in sealed engagementwiththe discharge end of said passage and a container engaging saddlelocated on said support at a point remote from said self-containedstructure, said gas passage having a nipple at its inlet end for itsconnection to a remotely located source of gas supply.

4. In an apparatus for charging containers with fluid under pressure, asupporting element, a self-contained structure at one end of saidsupporting element for conducting gas to the inlet end of the container,said structure having a gas passage adapted for communication with theinlet end of the container and having releasable means for cooperationwith the container to hold the same in sealed-engagement with thedischarge end of said passage and a container engaging saddle located onsaid support at a point remote from said self-contained structure, saidgas passage having a nipple at its inlet end for its connection to aremotely located source of gas supply, in combination with a remotelylocated self-contained valve organization having a connection to saidsource of gas supply, a connection to said nipple, a

passage between said connections, and a valve controlling said passage.

5. In an apparatus for charging containers with fluid under pressure, asupporting element, a self-contained structure at-one end of saidsupporting element for conducting gas to the inlet end of thecontainer," said structure having a gas passage adapted forcommunication with the inlet end of the container and having releasablemeans for cooperation with the container to hold the same in sealedengagement with the discharge end of said passage and a. containerengaging saddle located on said support at a point remote from saidself-contained structure, said gas passage having a nipple for itsconnection to a remotelylocatedsourceofgas supply, in combination with aremotely located self-contained valve organization having a connectionto said source of gas supply, a connection to said nipple, a passagebetween said connections, and a gas-escape passage connected to saidfirst named passage, a valve controlling said first named passage and avalve controlling said escape passage.

In testimony whereof I hereby aflix my DAVID S. GONE.

' signature.

